Whether (a) Botox injections have a proven long-term safety record, (b) hairdressing salons currently administering such injections are doi…

This is a reserved matter. The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) is the executive arm of the UK Government, which regulates medicines for human use. The MCA in conjunction with the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) is responsible for monitoring the safety of all marketed medicines to ensure that medicines meet acceptable standards of safety and efficacy. Botox is a prescription only medicine (POM) which was granted a marketing authorisation in the UK in 1994 and is indicated for the symptomatic relief of blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, idiopathic cervical dystonia, severe hyperhidrosis of the axillae and dynamic equinus foot deformity. As for all medicines, the safety of Botox is continuously monitored. Botox is not licensed for use as a cosmetic aid in the UK. A doctor may prescribe the drug for this purpose, but the legal responsibility for the decision rests with the doctor. The prescriber should be aware of potential adverse reactions and should inform the patient of these. As such, the decision to prescribe Botox depends on the clinical judgement of the doctor concerned, bearing in mind the risks and benefits of its use.